Defining Republicanism

Andrew Sullivan provided a valuable link today, to a dictionary of Republican Party terms. Good for a laugh when there isn't much to laugh about.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Robert Reich sees a new progressive era coming. Check out this post and see whether you think this could happen...with our help.

Explaining Occupy Wall Street

Here is an eye-popping series of charts that explains how we got to the point of mass protests.

Parker on the Death Penalty

Kathleen Parker, one of the few conservative commentators who is still able to think clearly, has a good column on the death penalty in the Washington Post. Highly recommended.

From surpluses to deficits

There's nothing in this Paul Begala article you don't already know, but it serves as a nice recounting of how we got to the debt "crisis" that the Republicans have been exploiting. Maybe you can forward it to somebody who hasn't been paying attention for the last decade and thinks it's Obama's fault.

Reading for a Hot Summer Day

If it's too darn hot to go out and you'd like some good laughs, try this article on the literary works of Newt Gingrich. It's snide, beautifully written, and funny enough to take your mind off the debt crisis for a little while.

Should Investment be favored over Work?

Here's a good column from the Washington Post on how our taxes are assessed. Maybe someday the middle class will have a chance to reclaim some of its clout!

starve the beast

The long-range Republican plan, dating back to the Reagan years, is in place now. Watch Thom Hartmann's explanation of Starve the Beast and how it's working for them.

Evolution of the Crazy

Kevin Drum of Mother Jones quotes and expands on a Ron Brownstein article. Excellent summary of the politics of the last 30 years.

Rewriting Reagan Revisionism

This post from Huffington Post is admittedly an ad for a book release, but it has some wonderful observations about what Reagan really represents in the sad history of the Republican decline into disastrous dishonesty. If your stomach is churning at the celebration of the gipper's centennial, it may help you to feel a little less queasy.

Enhanced SOTU

In case you missed the online White House version, here is a link to the State of the Union speech complete with charts, photos, and other visual aids.